Tuesday, October 24, 2006

STIR-FRIED MATZAH BALLS WITH BELL PEPPERS

Most of you know "Matzah Balls" when they are served in soup. After having tested that delicious way of preparing "Matzah Balls" and falling in love with those tasty dumplings, I thought that it would be a good idea to fry them and serve them as I would do with meatballs...

I elaborated this simple recipe one evening when I was craving for my "Matzah Balls", but didn't want to eat soup.This invented dish came out very well!

"Matzah Balls", also known as "Knaydlach" in Yiddish, are similar to what the German call "Klösse" and the Austrians "Knödel"; they are the Jewish version of those dumplings. The only difference resides in the fact that instead of being made with stale bread, they are prepared with Matzah flour (ground Matzah sheets)... "Matzah Balls" are generally eaten for Passover when flour is replaced with Matzah meal, but they are also served all year long on the occasion of Shabbat.

Joan Nathan's "Matzah Balls" (recipe taken from "Jewish Cooking In America" and adapted by myself) are very moist and ever so fine! Although there is no meat in a "Matzah Ball", those dumplings have a very pleasant meaty taste (a cross between chicken and veal) that is even more pronounced when they are fried and processed like meatballs. With the zucchinis and the bell peppers the combination gets even more flavourful and the added soy sauce confers that little "smokey" something to the whole dish.

I must say that I am very pleased with this recipe which has been adopted by both my boyfriend and me! I find this way of preparing "Matzah Balls" quite unique and highly recommendable for any adventurous cook...

Method:1. Mix the eggs with a fork. Add the oil, chicken broth, matzah meal, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix well until blended.2. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.3. Dip your hands in cold water and make about 12 balls slightly smaller than Ping-Pong balls.4. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and place the matzah balls in the water.5. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until soft.6. Remove from the water and drain.

7. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high temperature.8. Add 3 Tbs olive oil and add the matzah balls.9. Fry the balls until nice and golden brown.10. Set aside in a warm oven.11. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium high temperature.12. Add 1 Tbs olive oil, the onions and garlic.13. Stir-fry until the onions are translucid.14. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.15. Add the zucchini and continue stir-frying for 3 minutes.16. Add the paprika and sugar. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes.17. Sprinkle the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar over the vegetables. Stir-fry again for 4 more minutes.18. Salt and pepper to taste.19. Add the matzah balls.20. Serve.

Remarks:If you wish, you can use smoked paprika powder.Instead of light soy sauce, you can use "Thai Seasoning Sauce" (Golden Mountain brand).The vegetable oil for the matzah balls can be replaced by chicken fat.If you don't have any matzah meal, then take three matzah sheets (3 sheets matzah = 1 cup matzah meal) and blend them until they look like fine semolina (see infos here).

The matzah can be made ahead and frozen in their liquid (it keeps them fluffy).

Serving suggestions:Eat with a beetroot, a celeri salad or with coleslaw.

OMG that's a rip off! i pay like 1.99 or less for one box. i can't believe it; well, yes i can. my family lives in zurich so i know the prices are crazy. and how much do u pay for a cup of coffee??!! LOL.

yes, joan nathan's book has a recipe for the matzo balls which have a stuffing. it is good and it works, i have tried it. it is different in that it has cinnamon mixed with the meat which is really a sephardic thing however the matzo balls are ashkenazi.

the sweet and sour dish is also very good as a non-meat meal. u add pineapple, green peppers, etc. or whatever you like and bake it with the sauce.

BUREKABOY: You are right!!! Here, we really have to spend a lot of money on food (and other things as well). I can't believe that they are so cheap in Canada. Incredible! A cup of coffee costs about 3.90 CHF (way too much)...

I'll have to try that Joan Nathan recipe as this version of Matzah Balls interests me. Which herbs do you have to add in order to make them in the ashkenazi way?

Your sweet and sour recipe is very similar to the Chinese one, except for the fact that the meat is replaced by the Matzah Balls. It sounds delicious!

Do try them the way Nathan makes them, they are very good ... and different. Ashkenazi-type herbs would include finely chopped italian parsley and dill [l'aneth], basically those found in central and eastern europe. it is not VERY common to stuff the matzo balls or to put herbs in them. the herbs would be mixed into the dough, not really the stuffing but that does not mean u cannot do that. i am sure it would be equally as good. most of the time you will find them unadorned and plain made with matzo only. i like them all different ways.

yes, the sweet and sour version i mentioned is almost the same as yours. i didn't realize that when originally posted. i was too excited to see u had this same idea!! LOL. sometimes we make tuna balls (mixed with mazto) and regular matzo balls, all very small, and add them to the sauce with the vegetables and bake it. just a variation. do a search for knaidlach or kneidl and u shall see the world of varieties of this dumpling.